The Portland daily press., 1887-07-04

commanders, Lieutenant Burrows was from
South Carolina, and was but twenty-eight
years of age. Although he had no experience
in naval warfare, his conduct ON this occa-
sion shows him to have been man Of heroic
mould, and entities him to undying fame as
naval hero. His successor, Lieutenant Nc
Call, who handled the Enterprise after his
fall with so much skill and bravery, had
never seen fight before, while Captain
Blyth had distinguished himself at the con-
quest of Cayenne in such manner as to re-
ceive from the Prince Regent Of England, q
handsome present of money with which to
purchase memorial of the conflict The
vessels too were disprOportionate in size and
armament. The Boxer was new and very
strong Of the burthen Of 300 tons, and car
ried '16, 1S-pound carr0nadeS and long IS,
--Scslhnile the Enterprise was old and lightly
bnilf. Of 20 tons burthen, and carried IA, 1S-
pound carronadSss-snd = long os, 500 Inc box, box
er had lO4 and the EffteSprlse 1O2 men. The
superiority of the Enterprise sesSsmS ssSsssmS to have
consisted in the skillful handling of rSe We, .ho
sci and guns, especially the latter, as SsllS
hull of the Boxer was literally packed with
shot, many of them having struck her near
the waters edge. while the Enterprise was
but little damaged. OF the subsequent his
tory Of the Boxer, few words may be said
She was sold at auction, together with por-
tion of her armament; namely, ten eighteen
pound carronades. There was also sold at
the same time, two six-pound guns, which
-
ment, but may have been, though not count
ed as such when the report Of the number OF
her guns was made by Commodore Hull to
Commodore cambridge. The brig and the
guns named, were purchased by Thomas
Merrill, who subsequently, sold all, or a por-
tiOn Of the guns purchased by him, to fit out
the privateer Hyder Ally, which was subse-
quently captured by the English, whereby
the guns of the Boxer again became English
property. Six, however. remain unaccount-
ed for, and could not have been put on board
of the Hyder Ally. as she carried but twelve
eighteen, two long eighteen and
two long nine FOUNDERS, and even
some of these were purchased in Boston we
are told by Mr.. G0old in his account Of the
Hyder Ally. Thomas Merrill repaired the
Boxer and put Captain William Mcclellan,
father of Captain Jacob Mcclellan, in conf
mand of her, and sent her on voyage TO
Havana. From there she went to New
York aud was chartered as letter OF mar
que and sent to Marseilles. After her re-
turn she was repaired and poop put upon
her, which, in the eyes OF Nautical men, was
a Disagreement. About this time the Por--
tugese government was looking for vessel
suitable for a mail packet, and the Boxer be-
ing such vessel, Thomas Merrill sue
ceeded in disposing Of her TO that govern
ment, and she was put into the mail service
between Lisbon and the Cape de Verde Is
lands. In 1924, Captain Jacob Mcclellan,
son of her old commander, was one bright
night keeping watch on board the brig John,
a vessel owned by John Cox. of Portland,
then lying at the hagbor Of Port au Pray, In
the Cape de Nerdes, when q taut, raklsh look
ing vessel appeared and silently sailed by
Could he believe his own eyes? Yes, it
was the Boxer, so wonderfully associated
with bis boyish experiences. Like a ghost
she had loomed up from the past, and like
ghost she passed from his vision forever.
This is the last account we have of her.
Where did she.fnally lay her bones? Prob
ably some one will eventually tell US. As to
her missing guns, it is queried what became
of them. 1t has been asserted that one was
for long time in the possession of Captain
Green Walden, and was mounted on the
grass plat before his house at the CAGE, and
that the old gun so long planted at the cor
ner of Central and Fore streets was one. III
this is or is not true, it would be interesting
to have the question settled definitely.
j. p. B.